What I want for my kids...

Sometimes your kids are so profound, you just have to share...I was looking through Nathan's (the 7 year old) schoolwork over the weekend and found this...






Translation: "Be a righteous man..."

Life would be: "Nice- it is righteous"

A boy of few words, but profound. That's the only thing Mike and I want for our children, to be righteous. Everything else is extra...We've been doing so many "important things" with the kids lately that really aren't so important in the long run. It's good to keep in perspective what is most important. You took the words right out of my heart, Nathan!

Sunday afternoons...

Having a lazy Sunday afternoon. It's cloudy and cold- although I'm not complaining- my family has it worse in the snow all week while we had 70 degree weather... I love it when all the kids decide on a project themselves and all get along so well. Today they decided (the younger 4, although Bradley escaped the picture) to have an art class in front of the warm wood stove. Hoping they cleaned everything up, too!

First trip to the dentist!

Addy went to the dentist and had her teeth cleaned, counted, and flossed! She was a very good patient and hung on to her goody bag all day!

Great wrestling Season!

After some encouragement from our Bishop (he is a wrestling coach), we decided to put the boys in wrestling at the middle school. They both did great for their first year. It's not my favorite sport- I'm always afraid of them getting hurt and it's too intense for me, but they love it! Mike loves it too, since he was a wrestler himself. I found all 3 boys (including the daddy) wrestling often on the family room floor. Nathan took 2nd place in two tournament, including the county finals and got a medal. He was a tough competitor! Here are some highlights:

Growing up...

Addy is quickly growing up, much to the sadness of us all. Wish we could stop time right now, since this is one of our favorite times in this little girl's life. She is so much fun!
Here are some evidences of her growing up...
She came out of her bedroom telling me how pretty she was. She had put 2 slips on and 2 different shoes. She kept that outfit on all day, not willing to change clothes. She loved to spin around the front room with the slips.



We bought a little toddler bed for her and she LOVES it! She was so happy to get out of "jail" and we weren't sure she'd stay in this bed, but she does!


She helped me cut her daddy's hair the other day and did a pretty good job!



Our dishwasher has been on the fritz for the last couple of weeks so I have been doing dishes by hand. Addy found her love of washing dishes (AKA playing in the water), so whenever I start, she said, "I an wash dishes!" and runs to get a chair and a scrubber. She'll stay there for an hour working along side me. Not sure I want to get the dishwasher fixed! It's nice to play in the water with her!

She also decided to potty train herself this last month. I wasn't sure if we were ready, but we tried a couple of times and she didn't do anything, but when her friend Penny came over and used the potty, she decided to do it herself. So one day, she wanted little unders. I thought I was in for it and would be changing messy unders all day, but she would put herself on her little potty every couple of hours, dump it in the toilet, then climb on the toilet seat and wash her hands! Then she'd come out and tell me "I went potty, mama!" Wow! She's only 27 months--but I decided it must be my reward for having five children!




I think she will always be our baby girl! You are very loved, Addy!

Couponing craze...

I have joined once again the coupon craze. I have not done it since I was first married and I used to be good at it when we were struggling students. Now it's a lot easier and I have learned a lot about doing it. I've been saving hundreds a month, which I have been putting towards paying off the house...YAY! It is also helping me collect food storage! It's a fun game...does take time...I spend about 4 or 5 hours per week, but now I have a system down. Yesterday was my best day yet...4 stores, rebates, sales, coupons, gift cards, etc...I ended up with all this...






FOR JUST ABOUT $5 !! (yes you read that right- FIVE dollars). I took Sydney and Addison and Sydney was dying when she saw what I could do! I had to bring it home, set it up and take a picture like I see on the couponing websites!

CVS- made a profit of $17 (counting Extra care bucks for next time)
Rite Aid- spent 6$ after rebate
Safeway- spent $10
Target- spent $5 after I get my rebate back

The kids laugh at me when I come home with my deals a couple times a week! But it's a fun challenge! Do you coupon?

Brian- our Christmas Miracle!

A few months ago, I blogged about my brother Brian who was very sick and not expected to live longer than a few more weeks. He was expected to need oxygen and a feeding tube when he went home. We had hoped he'd get another Christmas with us this year. After lots of prayers and fasting, he is doing well and had a great holiday with us. You can see by the pictures how happy he was. So far so good! Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Brian.

Photo shoot

I took Addy to JC Penny for her 2 year old pictures and when we got home she wanted to take more. So we changed outfits and she posed and posed and posed. She kept asking me to take more and to see them. Fun!

Grandpa's knees are fun!

Grandpas are always good for a laugh. Addy's grandpa (my dad) had Addison chasing him around all week clinging to him. She just loves her grandpa, as do all the kids. He is so much fun. I remember as a kid he would give us piggy back rides and do bucking bronko in the living room. The kids love when he twirls the chandelier and pushes the button on the fire alarm (Grandma doesn't so much). We had fun at their home and the kids made a lot of fun memories! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Christmas Morning

 

Favorites of 2010:
Mom: Camcorder (our 4th one- we can't seem to keep them working!)
Dad: Garmin Running watch with GPS
McKenzie: solid silver flute - hoping it to last through college!
Bradley: Digital camera
Sydney: American Girl Doll- Felicity
Nathan: Race track and Marble track
Addison: Rose Cottage play house

Sledding Party

My sister, Corinne and her husband Darrel have a wonderful sledding hill on their property and they invited us over the day after Christmas for a sledding party (or did we just assume the invitation?) It is becoming a fun tradition. We have soup and buttermilk scones, go sledding around her circular road with the truck and huge sled Grandpa and Mike made, then the kids head down the sledding hill with the tubes and sleds and moms watch nervously when things get a little crazier and more daring. We survived all the fun and even played some games and Corinne, Erika, Jen and I practiced a trio for Sacrament meeting. Thanks for the fun times, Corinney!

Christmas Eve 2010

Don't you just love traditions? For Christmas we do the SAME THING every year, just slightly different talents for the program, and the kids are bigger every year (and louder :) Here are some images of our Christmas in Utah and Grandma and Grandpa's:

Boy cousins opening gifts from grandparents...Airhog helicopters for all!


Acting out the Nativity...


An unhappy angel...Addy cried the whole time and wouldn't go up front for some reason. She was exhausted all evening and finally went to bed early.


McKenzie playing piano for the talent program.


Brian enjoyed every minute. He was right there with us the whole time enjoying the food, family and especially the opening of the presents. He couldn't wait and kept going over to the presents and shaking his finger looking at us longingly as if to say, "Can I open them now?" He was very patient though!


Men hanging out in Mom's new beautiful family room chatting. Nothing better than catching up with family over the holidays!


Grandma and Grandpa King waiting for the white elephant game to begin. That's Grandma's favorite. We are blessed to have them still with us.


Crafts with cousins. Something to keep them busy while dinner is cleaned up.



We had so much fun this year- it was a quick 6 day trip, shorter than normal for us, but we seemed to fit all our traditions in, including the stomach flu on the last day!

A view from our family room window...Look at our backyard visitor!

Mike snapped this shot of our backyard from our family room picture window. I knew when we built this room we HAD TO HAVE a huge window facing our backyard. It's our favorite place in our house!